ANTI-G(M3) (II(3)NEU5AC-LACTOSYLCERAMIDE) GANGLIOSIDE ANTIBODY LABELSHUMAN FETAL PURKINJE NEURONS DURING THE CRITICAL STAGE OF CEREBELLAR DEVELOPMENT

The ganglioside G(M3) (II(3)Neu5Ac-lactosylceramide) represents a mino r ganglioside in normal human brain compared to major gangliosides wit h gangliotetraose-backbone. In this study the presence of G(M3) in thr ee 23 and 24 weeks of gestation old human cerebella was demonstrated b y immunostaining extracted gangliosides on thin-layer chromatography p late as well as by immunohistochemical analysis of cerebellar cryosect ions. During this stage of brain development G(M3) was found to be dom inantly expressed on cells corresponding to Purkinje neurons. Delipida tion of histological sections with chloroform/methanol caused signific ant reduction of anti-G(M3) immunostaining, thus confirming the preval ent ganglioside nature of this antigen. These results give evidence th at (1) G(M3) ganglioside is associated with a specific subset of human fetal cerebellar neurons during the critical developmental stage, and (2) a definite ganglioside in general is distributed to a specific su bset of cells in normal human brain.